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Undergraduate

The Department of Romance Studies offers our students a unique trans-cultural perspective on an increasingly fluid world culture and a globalized economy. Our students engage literature, film, and history, critical theory, visual culture, linguistics and philosophy and develop spoken and written abilities fostering their profound enjoyment and critical understanding of the diverse places where these languages are spoken: Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe and the Americas—North, Central, and South.

Our majors graduate with extraordinary international and domestic opportunities. The competencies that they acquire will enable them to gain admission to outstanding graduate programs in their field of interest or to pursue careers in areas as diverse as publishing, environmental science, medicine and the arts.

Undergraduate Student News

I began Italian at Duke after years of longing to learn what I thought of as the most beautiful language in the world, and now my study of Italian language and culture has become an integral part of my college experience. In conjunction with my ICS... read more »

Senior Tara Trahey is a double major in Art History/Visual Arts and European and Italian Studies at Duke. She is minoring in Classical Studies. Deciding to pursue a new language at Duke, she chose Italian—based on her past brief travel experiences... read more »

Already an experienced international traveler, junior Laura Brody is aiming to study abroad in at least four countries during her undergraduate career.
Brody, from Thomasville, N.C., is majoring in international comparative studies and French, and... read more »

Senior Alexis Pearce chose an immersive global experience to supplement her Spanish and French studies.
Pearce, from Charlotte, N.C., is majoring in Spanish and French and minoring in English. She is focusing her studies on Latin American... read more »

Senior Margaret Rote said no matter what career she chooses, she will be able to use the Spanish skills that she refined at Duke.
Rote said her upbringing in Dallas, Texas, heavily influenced her decision to major in Spanish. “A lot of signs at... read more »

Senior James Powers has used international experiences to combine his passion for healthcare with his knowledge of Spanish.
The pre-med student from Beverly, Massachusetts is majoring in Spanish and neuroscience, with a minor in chemistry. Since... read more »